ValueTips: Maui from The World's Greatest Honeymoons

• ValueTips: Maui •

10 Free (or Low-Cost) Ways

to Enjoy the Island

Maui: NASA Landsat Photo

1. Watch whales: Each year, from November through April, giant humpback whales make their winter home in Maui's offshore waters, where they mate and give birth. Several shoreline sites offer excellent whale watching, including Pu'u Olai at Makena; various locations in Wailea, Kaanapali and Kapalua; and waterfront restaurants in Lahaina. ~ A great place to learn about whales is at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary—and entry to the beachfront Visitor Center is free. During the winter you might see whale activity from the building’s deck, which provides a dandy viewscope.

2. Go Hiking: Walk into a rainforest echoing with the songs of birds found no place else on the planet, or along a rugged lava shoreline spewing giant geysers, or into mysterious sea caves steeped in ancient legend. There are trails to waterfalls with plunge pools for swimming, and walks into valleys so deep they never see a sunrise or a sunset. There are even trails into the dramatic lunaresque landscape of Haleakala crater. There are trails and nature walks for every level of capability. Park rangers at Haleakala National Park, both at the summit and the Kipahulu shoreline section, offer nature walks and guided hikes.

3. Take a Drive: The all-American romance of the road takes on another dimension altogether when the road has 54 bridges in 56 miles—that would be the famed Hana Highway. But Maui has plenty of roads. They wind along lava shores, through old plantation towns, past miles of beaches and up through towering forests to the top of a volcano. Roads here are well maintained and well marked, making driving a pleasure.

4. Go Camping: Save money by spending part of your vacation in a tent. There are campsites in Haleakala National Park, both in the mountains and on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Bargain-rate cabins are also available on a lottery basis. There are also cabins at two state parks, one at Waianapanapa on a black sand beach, and the other at Polipoli Springs in a high-elevation forest preserve. Some beach parks also allow camping.

5. Take a Swim: Maui has more than 80 beaches—and they come in sands of gold, black, green, red and purest white. Try ‘em all out!

Also See: Hawaii Index | Big Island | Kauai | Lanai | Molokai | O'ahu | ValueTips: Big Island, Kauai, Maui, O'ahu

6. Hit the Parks: Making Maui's spectacular natural beauty is easily accessed through its 8 state parks, numerous county parks, and Haleakala National Park (which does charge an entrance fee). Each offers its own unique gifts. For instance, Wai’anapanapa State Park, on the south side, has a beautiful black-sand beach; it’s a tranquil place, home to a heiau (religious temple), and possesses an easy hiking trail along an ancient Hawaiian coastal path. Pua’a Ka’a State Wayside may be just a rest stop, but stopping there allows you to picnic in a rain forest surrounded by waterfalls and pools. Neither Park has an entry fee.

7. Turn Free Sightseeing into an Art: Visit old plantation towns, tour the historic preservation district of Lahaina, see the biggest Buddha outside Asia, stop at old Hawaiian churches (don't miss the Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Kula, with its magnificent altar shipped around the Horn by the king and queen of Portugal). Check out Hale Pa’ahao, Lahaina’s 1800s prison made out of coral—you can still see wall shackles and chains. Walk into a huge dormant volcanic crater, see whaling museums, and marvel at natural wonders such as `Iao Needle, the pools of 'Oheo Gulch, a forest of giant redwood trees, the geysers of Hobbitland, the rainbow-haunted West Maui mountains, and just miles and miles of some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet.

8. Make the art scene: Maui has more than 40 galleries carrying local artists and internationally-known masters such as Dali, Erte and Gorman. On Friday evenings in Lahaina art becomes a party. Browsers wander from gallery to gallery, meeting the artists, eyeballing the art, and enjoying complimentary food and wine. Traditional Hawaiian arts such as featherwork, kapa (decorated fabric made from tree bark), wood carving and shell work can also be found.

9. Hula: Check out the free, twice-weekly hula shows at the Lahaina Center, where you can also take a free guided tour of a replica ancient Kauhale (Hawaiian village).

10. Do the sunsets every single night: They don’t cost a dime, but they’ll give you memories to last a lifetime.

More Info: Maui Visitors Bureau

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